The Spanish Popular Party (PP) asked the country’s President, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, to reprimand the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miguel Angel Moratinos, for his proposal to open the European market to Asian tuna products.
Mr. Moratinos had proposed the European Commission to help the fisheries of countries affected by the Tsunamis in the South Asian Areas by opening the European market to their products, including canned tuna The Spanish PP considers this request of disapproval against Mr. Moratinos a demonstration of “pure common sense†for even considering his proposal, which could only ruin the Spanish canning industry.
The spokesman for the PP Fishing Commission at the Senate, Jose Cruz Perez Lapazan, said, “It’s surprising that a Minister of Foreign Affairs can make such a strange and foolish proposal which can seriously damage one of the leading sectors of the Spanish Fisheryâ€. He also said: “I would like to know if the bold Mr. Moratinos has requested the General Fishing Bureau a report on the consequences of what could happen if his proposal to allow the free trade of tuna to the European Union would be approvedâ€.
Furthermore, Mr. Lapazaran also reminded “that the industries which would benefit from the opening of the European market are located in the northern part of the country, an area barely affected by the tidal wave, where many American joint ventures are located, which compete against the interests of the EU member statesâ€.